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Thor: Ragnarok's Tone Is Different Than All Other Marvel Movies

Thor: Ragnarok may be the third installment in the Thor series of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it's already been heavily hinted as wildly different from not just the first two movies but the rest of the MCU. The retro-looking new logo alone had fans buzzing, as did former Devo frontman Mark Mothersbaugh when he was added to do the musical score.

Cate Blanchett, who plays principal antagonist Hela, recently described the making of Thor: Ragnarok as "a riot and fantastic fun." The new sequel's sense of playfulness ostensibly came from director Taika Waititi, who himself recently expanded upon the movie's apparently unique style.

In a Saturday AMA on Reddit, Waititi responded to fan questions about Thor: Ragnarok and what to expect from the latest installment in the series. The top comment asked if fans can expect the movie to have an '80s-style vibe to it, in reference to the logo. Waititi responded, "You can. And more." Mothersbaugh's presence as the composer also lends credence to this idea.

Asked if Thor: Ragnarok would "meld" with the first two Thor movies, Waititi said, "I have no idea. It will be a nice addition to the Taika Waititi box-set though." The same comment asked if the movie would feature the same off-the-wall humor seen in Waititi's last work, the supernatural mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows. Waititi responded, "You can expect a Taika-esque tone," adding that Marvel has been "very accepting" of his distinctive filmmaking style.

Waititi was also asked if he actually watches Marvel movies, and said that his favorite is Guardians of the Galaxy, arguably the funniest entry in the MCU. It would make perfect sense for Thor: Ragnarok to have a similarly irreverent, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, considering Waititi's previous work and recent reports. Considering Waititi also tried to get John C. Reilly to reprise his Guardians role as Rhomann Dey, it's clear that the film could be similar to Guardians.

Waititi's lively brand of humor and irreverence certainly worked well with What We Do In The Shadows. To give a Thor film a similarly silly feel could be risky, especially in a world with the scope and grandiosity of Thor and the kingdom of Asgard. But clearly, the producers did not take exception to how Waititi made the new sequel. The prospects of an entirely different and wholly unique, fun entry into the MCU should make Thor: Ragnarok one of the most anticipated movies of Phase 3.

Doctor Strange opens November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming– July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel– March 8, 2019; Untitled Avengers – May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.